1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, such as a still camera or a video camera or the like, having a function of stabilizing picked-up images by correcting a shake of the images caused by vibrations of the image pickup apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The automation of image pickup apparatuses such as still cameras, video cameras or the like has recently advanced. Automatic exposure and automatic focusing mechanisms are now widely in use. In addition to these mechanisms, the function of correcting an image shake due to vibrations of the apparatus, i.e., a image stabilizing function, has been variously contrived for image pickup apparatuses. Some of these contrivances are now being put in practice.
The currently known means for correcting an image shake due to vibrations of the apparatus can be roughly divided into two kinds. One is optical image-shake correcting means which optically corrects an image shake by using a variable angle prism. The other is electronic image-shake correcting means which is arranged to temporarily store image information and then to electronically correct an image shake.
Among the conventional image pickup apparatuses having the image stabilizing function, an image pickup apparatus provided with the optical image-shake correcting means has presented the following problem: During the image stabilizing action, it is necessary to always drive two actuators, one for correction in the direction of pitch (vertical direction) and the other for correction in the direction of yaw (horizontal direction). Driving the actuators in this manner causes much consumption of electrical energy. In a case where a battery is used for a power supply, the battery must be frequently replaced.
On the other hand, an image pickup apparatus provided with the electronic image-shake correcting means has presented the following problem: The resolution of the apparatus becomes lower as it is arranged to use a part of the image information temporarily stored. The quality of images saliently deteriorates particularly in the event of an object having a high frequency component in a large amount within the picked-up image signal, such as a fine pattern or a distant landscape.